The invention relates in general to optical fiber buildouts used to couple a first optical fiber cable to a second optical fiber cable. More particularly, the invention relates to a universal modular optical fiber buildout in which a buildout base selected from any one of several different types of buildout bases is coupled to a buildout cap selected from any one of the several different types of buildout caps available, to include the SC, ST(copyright), FC and LC family of buildout bases, caps, respectively.
The use and construction of optical fiber cables, and optical fiber buildouts used for coupling optical fiber cables together is well known. Optical fiber cables are provided with optical fiber connectors at their ends, the optical fiber connectors being one of several known types of connectors namely being either an SC, an ST(copyright), an FC, and/or an LC type of optical fiber connector. The SC, ST and FC connectors are provided with 2.5 mm diameter ferrules, whereas the LC type of optical fiber connectors provide 1.25 mm diameter ferrule.
The earliest types of optical fiber couplings were made using a simple coupler formed as a tubular body sized and shaped to hold an alignment sleeve therein, and to which the two respective optical fiber connectors could be attached. An example of such an optical fiber coupling is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,345 to Cammons, et al., assigned to ATandT Bell Laboratories, a predecessor in interest to the assignee of this invention. The two spaced ends of the coupler in Cammons et al. were adapted to couple two of the same type of optical fiber connector together, the ferrules of the two optical fiber connectors being passed into the alignment sleeve positioned within the coupler, one of the ferrules being passed into one of the ends of the sleeve prior to passing the sleeve into the body of the coupler.
The problem that developed with these early optical fiber couplers was that as the number of differing types of optical fiber connectors increased, for example, the SC, ST(copyright), FC and LC family of optical fiber connectors, the situation frequently arose in which a first optical fiber cable having a first type of optical fiber connector was to be connected to a second optical fiber cable having a different or second type of optical fiber connector. This could not be readily accomplished by the earlier generation of optical fiber couplers as they were intended for use with similar types of optical fiber connectors at each of their spaced ends. What was needed, therefore, was a universal approach to coupling optical fiber cables together.
The first answer to this problem was presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,783 to Lampert, also assigned to ATandT Bell Laboratories. The ""783 patent to Lampert disclosed an optical fiber connector buildout system which allowed FC to ST(copyright) optical fiber connections, as well as ST(copyright) to ST(copyright). However, although Lampert represented a significant advance in the art, the problem still arose that still newer types of optical fiber connectors were being developed, and thus there was a continuing need to provide a universal system of coupling these several differing types of optical fiber connectors together.
As a result, the universal optical fiber buildout system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,729 to King, et al. arose, which patent is also assigned to ATandT Bell Laboratories. The ""729 patent to King, et al. allowed for the connection of SC, ST(copyright), and FC connectors to one another, as desired. However, the problem persists, as still further types of optical fibers have been developed, for example the LC family of optical fiber connectors as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/148348 assigned to Lucent Technologies, Inc, the assignee of this invention, entitled, xe2x80x9cOptical Fiber Buildout System,xe2x80x9d and filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 4, 1998.
The need exists, therefore, for a universal and modular optical fiber buildout which is capable of coupling any one of the several different types of optical fiber connectors to one another, to include not only the SC, ST(copyright), and FC optical fiber connectors, but the LC family of optical fiber connectors as well.
The present invention provides an improved universal modular optical fiber buildout which overcomes some of the deficiencies of the known art. The universal modular optical fiber buildout of this invention provides a simple, efficient, and highly flexible apparatus and method of coupling optical fiber cables together in the field with a degree of flexibility heretofore unknown in the art. Moreover, the relative simplicity of the universal modular optical fiber buildout, and method of assembling buildouts of this invention, when contrasted to the known buildouts, provides a greater degree of reliability, durability, maintainability, and ease of use.
This invention attains this degree of flexibility, as well as simplicity in design and ease of use, by providing a universal modular buildout for use in coupling a first optical fiber cable or connector to a second optical fiber cable or connector, regardless of the type of optical fiber connector used on each cable. The universal modular buildout comprises a buildout base formed about a longitudinal axis, the base having a first end and a spaced second end, and a buildout cap also having a first end and a spaced second end. The buildout base is constructed and arranged to receive the first optical fiber cable/connector at its first end, the second end of the base being constructed and arranged to receive any one of a plurality of the different types of buildout caps therein.
The buildout cap is constructed and arranged to receive the second optical fiber connector at its first end, the second end of the cap being constructed and arranged to be received within the second end of any one of a plurality of different types of buildout bases. The cap has a latching arrangement comprised of two opposed resilient flanges sized and shaped to be received within the second end of the base, each flange having at least one locking tab formed as a part thereof. The buildout base is provided with at least two opposed locking tabs constructed and arranged to cooperate with a respective one of at least one locking tabs of the flanges, so that the cap is received in the base in a snap-fit.
Each of the flanges is constructed and arranged to move inwardly toward the cap as it is passed through the second end base, and to be resiliently urged outwardly of the cap once the locking tabs of the flange engage in the locking tabs of the base. The buildout cap may comprise one of the buildout caps selected from the group of buildout caps which includes SC, ST(copyright), FC, and LC buildout caps. Similarly, the buildout base may comprise one of the buildout bases selected from one of the group of buildout bases which includes an SC, an ST(copyright), an FC, and an LC buildout base.
Additionally, the buildout cap is constructed and arranged to be received within the buildout base of any one of a plurality of rotational positions about the longitudinal axis of the base such that the cap may be used to selectively optimize an optical signal passed through at least one of the first and second optical fiber cables/connectors, respectively, as the cap is positioned in one of the plurality positions about the access of the base. The buildout cap also includes a sleeve holder constructed and arranged to be received therein in a snap-fit for ease of assembly and use. When coupling an LC buildout base or cap to an SC, ST(copyright), or FC buildout cap or base, respectively, a stepped alignment sleeve, constructed and arranged to be received within a cap in snap-fit, is used such that the invention provides a degree of universality heretofore unknown in the art.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved universal modular optical fiber buildout adapted for use with any of the known types of optical fiber connectors.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved universal modular optical fiber buildout which is simple in design and construction, is rugged and durable in use, and which is easy to use and maintain.
It is to these objects, as well as the other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, which will become apparent upon reading the specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, to which the invention is directed.